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Manchester United have lacked urgency in the transfer market so far. Despite enduring one of their worst campaigns in recent times last season, the Old Trafford outfit are yet to make a signing.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have identified a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar as an ideal replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. Elsewhere, the Premier League giants have reached a breakthrough in talks with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on June 26, 2022:
Manchester United identify Neymar as Cristiano Ronaldo replacement
Manchester United have identified Neymar as a possible replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to RMC Sport via The Metro. The Portuguese is reportedly frustrated with the lack of transfer activity at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have identified the Brazilian to fill the 37-year-old’s shoes should he decide to leave the club this summer.
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The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was the club’s top scorer last season with 24 goals from 38 games across competitions. Should he opt to leave, United will have a huge gap in the squad to fill in an already frustrating summer.
The Red Devils believe Neymar could do the job. The Brazilian is considering a future away from PSG, with the Ligue 1 giants willing to sanction his departure. United could dive for him if Ronaldo walks out the door this summer. However, Neymar's £670,000 weekly wages - one of the biggest in the sport - could be a huge problem.
Red Devils reach breakthrough in Frenkie de Jong negotiations
Manchester United have reached a breakthrough in talks with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong, according to SPORT via Caught Offside.
The Red Devils have been locked in negotiations with the La Liga giants for quite some time to facilitate a move for the Dutchman. New United manager Erik ten Hag wants to build a team around the 25-year-old and has been hot on his heels all summer.
The Premier League giants are now very close to securing a £69 million (€80 million) move for De Jong.
However, the club are yet to agree personal terms with the Dutchman. They'll have to be at the top of their game to convince De Jong to move. As per acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, De Jong's preference is to move to a club that offers him Champions League football, which could exacerbate matters, though.
United failed to qualify for next season's Champions League after finishing a dismal sixth.
Frank McAvennie wants Harry Maguire removed from United captaincy
Former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie wants Manchester United to take the captain's armband off Harry Maguire. The English defender has struggled for form at Old Trafford recently.
Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie said Maguire's massive price tag has been a problem for the 29-year-old.
"He needs to get his game back. For me, Harry Maguire has a massive price tag on him, and he’s not lived up to it. So that’s a big problem for me. I would take the captaincy off him. He’s a lovely guy, but he needs to get his game back because it’s not been there for ages," said McAvennie.
He added:
“I would like to see Ten Hag sort Maguire out; he’s had a rough time, and he’s a decent player, but he’s not kicked a ball for Man United, to be honest with you. It’s not his fault Man United are the way they are now; it’s a collective of every player really. They looked unorganised, and they looked as if they didn’t know what they were doing."
McAvennie concluded:
“They’ve got people in midfield that shouldn’t be anywhere near a Man United strip. There’s players in that squad that you think ‘they’re not Man United’. Man United are one of the elite teams, but since Sir Alex (Ferguson) left, they’ve not been one of the elite teams. They’ve not played like it."
